Starz’s Spartacus: House of Ashur Reveals What Makes It Special in New Clip (Exclusive)

by

Over ten years after the original series concluded, Starz brought the world of gladiators back to life with a new installment. This revival reintroduced the main character, but with a significant change to the established backstory.

Even though the scene is brief, it’s full of intense action, showcasing Achilla’s fighting prowess as she battles multiple gladiators. Afterwards, she approaches Tarchon, who’s lying defeated on the ground, and coldly tells him it’s where a vulnerable creature belongs.

Tenika Davis stars as Achilla, the first female gladiator in the series. While historical evidence suggests women didn’t traditionally fight as gladiators, Davis’s portrayal demonstrates her character’s strength and ability to compete with seasoned fighters.

Episode 4, titled “Blood and Bone,” follows Ashur’s urgent attempt to compete in the Ludi Apollinares games before Marcus Crassus arrives. The episode was directed by Maha Vrvilo and written by Ihouma Ofordire.

Spartacus: House of Ashur is the latest installment in the gritty and action-packed Spartacus saga. Steven S. DeKnight, who created and wrote the original series, is back as showrunner and executive producer. All previous seasons are currently available on Starz.

Spartacus: House of Ashur Divided the Critics & Audiences

I was really excited for the new movie, and it instantly won over the critics! It scored a fantastic 92% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 12 reviews, which is amazing. But, surprisingly, general audiences didn’t seem to feel the same way – there was a definite disconnect between what the critics loved and what viewers thought.

Despite being a popular streaming show – recently ranking as high as No. 2 on Starz in the U.S. and among the top spots on Prime Video in Europe and Asia – House of Ashur has only received a 45% audience approval rating, largely due to criticism that it is ‘too woke’.

Many viewers criticized Achilla’s character, describing the show as overly focused on strong women and weak men. Despite this, the show also received positive feedback, with one reviewer stating that fans of Spartacus would likely appreciate its faithfulness to the original series, particularly its violence, action, and well-written dialogue.

Spartacus: House of Ashur debuts new episodes on Fridays on Starz.

Read More

2025-12-18 17:07